Cold toes

I have spent one full day in Jerusalem. It is 2:30 am and I am wide awake. So much to take in from the day. I arrived on the eve of a Jewish holiday that was celebrated today. I played with Lizan, an 8 year old Kurdish girl. She smiles a lot although her mom says she misses her father. Her mom speaks some English. I was able to ask her what she likes about Israel. She said, "everything is easy here. Life in Kurdistan, everything is difficult especially for women." We talked about the beach here and she said they have a small beach but only men are allowed to go. We had a good time trying to talk and understand each other. She was so patient with me. I thank God for that! Me and Lizan made 6 or 7 rubberband bracelets and we played Legos. She is so smart and sweet. She knows a couple words. She pointed to the bracelet she was working on and ask me, "good?" I just clapped and nodded, good good! She smiled. Later in the evening she put her toes on my leg to let me know they were cold. I did the same to her and we laughed. A memory I will never forget.

I also made a quick trip, I guess you could say that...the walk was long, inside the Old City. I could write so much. We entered at the Joffa gate and went to the Western Wall. It was amazing. I don't understand the customs but it is interesting to watch and observe the love the Jewish and Arabs have for their families. It was very special. We stopped for a break at a coffee shop. I was so blessed to met a German lady, here for a conference. She spoke Some English. She talked about finding Jesus at 50 years old when a Missionary from Africa came to her village. She was baptized and she led her mother to the Lord. And her mother was baptized a year later. That was over 20 years ago. She has had a rough life but you couldn't tell it by her sweet spirit. She said she attended Bible college a few years ago. She said, "I have Jesus, I leave the past, all of it and go forward with Jesus!" I was inspired. Then she started singing a song I grew up singing by Amy Grant. I was shocked and thrilled to know the song and sing with her. It was too much to believe! We were singing "El Shaddai El Shaddai" in the middle of a coffee shop in Jerusalem. 

Maybe all of this is why I'm awake or maybe it is jet lag. I like to think it is the emotions of the day. I'm thankful beyond any words to have experienced this outside my extremely small corner of the world. As I got ready this morning in this 100+ year old Jerusalem stone home, that was the first Israeli children's hospital, it hit me what a spoiled American I am.

Blessings from Shevet Achim